Systems, methods and computer program products for performing remote data storage for client devices

Abstract

Remote data storage is performed for client devices that are associated with an enterprise, by performing the following automatically at a given client device in response to authorization from the given client device: obtaining metadata about the given client device; uploading the metadata to a remote data storage system and initiating an initial remote data storage to the remote data storage system using the metadata that was obtained. At the remote data storage system, a load balancing program may be executed to programmatically assign a given client device to a subset of remote data storage devices in response to obtaining the metadata about the given client device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 830,394, filed Jul. 12, 2006, entitled Systems, Methods and Computer Program Products for Rapidly and Accurately Subscribing Customers to Data Storage Management Services, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if set forth fully herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to data storage and, more particularly, to management of data storage systems.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The evolution of information technology into the central nervous system of the modern enterprise has dramatically changed the amount of digital information generated and stored by today's business ventures. Personal productivity applications such as spreadsheets, word processors, presentation software, and personal database programs have driven personal computers (PCs) to include gigabytes of storage. E-mail has...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides methods for remote data storage for a plurality of client devices associated with an enterprise. The methods involve obtaining authorization from an administrator of the enterprise to subscribe the client devices to a remote data storage system and downloading software to the client devices for remote data storage. The methods also involve uploading metadata about the client devices to the remote data storage system and initiating an initial remote data storage to the system using the metadata. Load balancing may be performed to automatically assign the client devices to a subset of the remote data storage devices. The invention also provides systems and computer program products for performing remote data storage and other applications, such as data harvesting or virus scanning. The technical effects of the invention include improved load balancing and efficiency in remote data storage for enterprises.

Problems solved by technology

Data is now often viewed as the life blood of the enterprise since any disruption in electronic data flow can destroy an enterprise's ability to function.

Current industry estimates suggest an enterprise that experiences a disruption in data access lasting more than 10 days may never fully recover financially, and that 50% of those may be out of business within 5 years.

This new position of electronic data as a core mission critical asset is creating new challenges in information and data storage management.

However, while data storage networks may enable improved efficiencies and scalabilities of storage hardware, the complexities of managing storage networks may increase dramatically.

Problems that arise can be extremely complex and difficult to solve, and typically require an enterprise to have access to highly skilled and specialized technicians.

Moreover, data storage system problems and disruptions may severely impact business continuity.

However, they are finding it difficult and expensive to train, maintain, and retain in-house expertise.

The infrequency of problems within any one firm may make it difficult for one firm to maintain freshness in the problem resolution skills of an internally captive staff.

Reducing costs by assigning these individuals to other tasks may further dilute skill focus and can cause employee retention problems.

The particular selection of vendor tools and products made by any one firm may also limit internal staffing exposure to new and emerging trends.

There currently may be no fully integrated tools that take a multi-vendor and system wide perspective.

Unfortunately, this can add cost and complexity to data storage management.

Their focus is on the individual consumer and small project teams and may not consider an organization's need to securely manage large volumes or information in customized manners.

As data are transmitted over a public data network (e.g., the Internet), security of the data can be compromised.

Data residing on hosted Internet-provided file storage systems can be compromised by unauthorized access to that data by personnel nominally responsible for only managing and maintaining the storage of the data.

Unfortunately, heretofore, providers of data storage services have not targeted individual and SOHO clients because of the amount of time necessary to initiate data storage services.

Moreover, the time required on behalf of individual and SOHO clients to subscribe to data storage services is not insubstantial.

The time, complexity and overhead has limited the availability of data storage services to a large segment of the market.

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